A New Dawn
by Cataclysmic Eclipse
Summary: Anna is left alone to mull over her thoughts of her new found knowledge of Kratos' past and as a result she decides that a confrontation between the two is needed. Kratos x Anna One-Shot.


-1_Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or any of the characters in the game, I'm just borrowing them for my story. And if any Opeth lyrics leaked into the story since I listened to Opeth's Blackwater Park album and those other lovely songs that leaked onto the internet, I don't own the lyrics, the songs, heck, not even the band name._

_A/N: For those of you that read my other story sorry for not posting anything up for such a long time. My personal life hasn't been exactly stellar over the past year or so. But, hey, I didn't go to a concert 'cause this story wouldn't leave me alone so I think that makes up for it. Kinda. I'm a dork I know. Well, anyways let's talk about the story.. Its placed back when Anna and Kratos were travelling together, before Lloyd came into the picture. You'll catch the drift if you read it. Also, this is strictly a rough draft of the story, so anything that sounds iffy will be fixed by me later since I still have editing to do. I just felt bad for not posting in forever…_

_Enjoy my guilt draft, guys!_

The night made a mockery of the emotions that roiled inside of Anna. There was no wind to disturb the branches of the trees making the forest completely still. There was something about that night that made the forest completely tranquil, maybe it was something about the way the light of the crescent moon hit Sylverant. What was revealed of the sky beneath the branches that obscured it was breathtaking. It was so clear that it revealed the majesty that Martel had created; thousands of tiny white specks of light against a languid black backdrop.

_Maybe Kratos could control the weather too_, Anna thought bemused leaning against a great oak tree and folding her arms around the back of her head, _I wouldn't put it past him either._ Normally this atmosphere would have seeped tranquility to Anna and let her relax.

But not tonight of all nights.

Especially after what she knew now. She sighed and closed her eyes in frustration. How could she have been so stupid? She had always known that Kratos was a little off, the way he always acted so cold. But she had never expected the truth of the matter, she didn't even have the imagination to think up something so elaborate. Anna started to pace, it was all too frustrating to deal with standing still. The truth that Kratos was a seraphim and that he was directly responsible for tearing the world apart, apart of some organization, Cruxis, that secretly ran the world and the Desians, that he rebelled after hearing that Yggdrassiil (the crazy guy bent on reviving his dead sister) was going to create an Age of Lifeless Beings and Kratos was actually thousands of years old was more then Anna could swallow all at once.

She wouldn't believe him at first but that look that Kratos had given her then had told her it was no lie. Kratos wasn't one to make up something like that, it sounded too ridiculous. _Yeah, he didn't lie by making something up, he just lied by never telling me about it before._ Anna kicked a stone as hard as she could to try to get her anger out. She heard a rustle and a loud whine of pain vaguely in the direction the stone went.

Anna's eyes narrowed and she felt no pity for the pain Noishe was feeling. "Noishe you can come out now. There's no use in hiding anymore I know you're there."

Sure enough the mammoth of a dog emerged from the darkness of its hiding place with its head held low. Anna was always amazed when she saw this dog larger then any other she had seen with its unique green and white fur that was accentuated this night as it gleamed in the light of the moon. Even before Kratos had said anything of his past Anna could sense an intelligence in this animal that was absent in other dogs. She made a mental note to ask Kratos of Noishe later.

"Kratos sent you here to watch me, didn't he?" Noishe whined and its ears went as far down as they could. This was all the answer that Anna needed and she cursed inwardly. Of course, she knew Kratos wouldn't leave her all alone to her thoughts.

"Hm, figures. Well do you mind taking me to him? I think we have a few things we need to talk about." Anna felt anger swell inside of her and she needed to unleash it on the source.

Noishe looked positively stricken at the request, well as stricken as a dog can look, but obliged her and bent down so she could climb on its back. Anna wondered fleetingly why Noishe was being so complacent while she climbed on his back, he normally only listened to Kratos. Anna decided she should count her blessings and she clutched his fur with her hands to keep her balance, this wasn't the first time she rode on Noishe's back and she knew from experience just how fast it could move.

Before Anna had time to prepare herself mentally for the ride they were off. The trees blurred together as Noishe swiftly ran across the forest and the wind whipped through Anna's dull brown hair held . Anna squeezed her eyes shut almost belatedly when she realized if her eyes were open she'd get motion sick. It happened to her the first time that she rode Noishe and the results weren't pleasant.

Almost too soon did Anna feel Noishe's speed slow down and eventually stop. Her eyes pryed themselves open and she felt her heart speed up and an apprehension form inside of herself at the sight of Kratos gazing placidly at her. Then she felt an reform inside of her anger form which was so overwhelming that the apprehension vanished.

"Kratos," Anna said her voice laced with bitterness as she slid from Noishe's back with a soft thud, "I really think that we should talk."

Kratos was silent for a time staring at Noishe and Anna could tell that there was some sort of undercurrent going on between the two.

"Hey, listen to me when I'm talking to you!" Noishe stalked off at that moment and Anna couldn't care less.

"Humph, very well," Kratos said turning to face her. His face was every bit the stoic mask that she was accustomed to seeing months ago. Why he was donning it now Anna didn't know or care. That was his problem, not hers. "What is it that you wish to speak to me of?"

"You know what and don't pretend that you don't."

"Of course you are upset because of what I told you. What is it that you found to be unsettling?"

"Everything!" Anna yelled and Kratos flinched, "How could I not be upset or _unsettled_ because of what you've done! This inferior being isn't as stupid as you think I am! I'm not just gonna accept it with open arms and go on like none of that matters. Did you really expect me to not care if you told me? To go on like some sort of perfect, stupid woman that won't react at all to anything that you do and just pat you on the back."

"I knew that this would happen," Kratos murmured almost to himself, his eyes obscured by his bangs, "Perhaps I never should have told you."

"Yes you should have," Anna hissed, "just how long were you expecting to go on without me finding out? Either way I'd be just as pissed off. Damn it, I wish I never had to see you again. You disgust me."

Kratos was silent for a time, then his eyes overtook her and whatever stoic mask he once donned was gone. His brown eyes held such pain that Anna felt a part of her hurt alongside him. No, she told herself again and again pushing the pain inside, there's no way that bastard could ever feel anything for her.

"You don't have to remain by my side anymore. If I disgust you so much then leave."

"Wait, what?" Anna felt herself sway in confusion, he was giving up way too easy. This was the most Kratos has ever acted so un-Kratos-like before. "But what about me being the Angelus Project? Don't you need to keep me away from the Desians?"

"I will dispose of them, you have nothing to fear. Wherever you decide to go you will never be bothered again by the likes of Kvar or any cretins like him."

Anna couldn't help it she felt satisfacton glow inside at this protective side of Kratos. Even if it was a bit misguided since she could take care of herself but sweet none the less. _It's only because I'm the Angelus Project_, Anna reminded herself. If she didn't have the damned exsphere she wouldn't matter to him.

"Why do you care if any of them take me? I'm nothing to you."

"No." Kratos said firmly. "You are everything to me. Even if I disgust you because of my sins I want you to know that."

Anna felt heat rise to her face at that remark despite her best efforts at hiding it. When she gazed into his eyes she knew that she couldn't leave him without setting things right. Her heart would never forgive her.

"Its not your sins that I'm disgusted at Kratos. I know that even if you're sins are great that you're atoning for them. It'll take a long time to make up for all you've done but atonement's about penance too. I know that you started atoning when you saved me from that ranch and went against that Yggdrasiil's Age of Lifeless Beings. You could've easily turned a blind eye and continued your life as a seraphim but you didn't."

Anna gave him a small smile and Kratos stared at her looking completely flabbergasted at her complete change in tone. She laughed inwardly, he should know her and her unpredictable personality better then that.

"Atoning for my sins," Kratos said slowly, "I had never thought of that before."

"Of course you haven't that's what I'm here for," Anna said bemused. She couldn't help herself, despite all the man had done she still cared about him. Besides, she'd get to leave soon anyways.

Anna then saw Kratos wear an expression that she had never seen before.

"What is it?"

Kratos shook his head and walked closer to her, so close that they were almost touching.

"Anna please don't leave."

Anna's heart started pounding against her chest when he said that and all of those perfect little things that she could have responded with lay forgotten as his eyes held hers. She felt herself go to a world where nothing else existed except for him and his eyes that wore that strange expression, that expression that she felt she would grow to adore. His touch scorched her as his arms wrapped about her waist and a hand came to cradle her head.

It was like a lucid dream, Anna thought between the haze her mind had created, like the dreams she'd have of him. There was no denial anymore, not for her, she cared about him plain and simple.

Kratos' head came to her ear, "I don't want you to leave," He whispered, his breathe leaving its own scorching mark against her skin. His lips brushed against her cheek in a heated trail where they found their destination of her lips. This was heaven, wasn't it? Kratos was holding her… Anna's arms wrapped about his body in a possessive way, she didn't want him to stop.

_"I won't let anyone hurt me ever again."_

It was a promise that the shadow of herself had made when the memories of her torture were still fresh in her mind. Where the thought came from, she had no idea. All she knew was that she couldn't let this happen.

It took all she had to pull her lips away from his scorching touch and unravel her arms from him.

"I..I…I'm so sorry… but I can't do this…" Anna murmured with her eyes fixed to his chest.

She had a similiar decision now just like her past self had. To let her the torture ruin her life and let her forever succumb to being weak and fragile or to fight the memories and build herself to be strong. She had chosen the latter then.

Kratos' arms held her limply as he remained silent and she felt his arms stiffen. A hollow chuckle followed and Anna's head snapped to see him. What she saw tore her heart apart.

"I am a fool. How could I have led myself to believe that you could love a monster like me?"

"You're not a monster," came Anna's automatic response. No matter what she wanted to lessen his suffering, he didn't deserve it. "Remember all that stuff I said before about atonement? There's no way you're a monster."

Kratos looked at her as before like he didn't believe her.

"Look," Anna brought a hand to cradle his face, "You are a good man. I've known that when you saved me from that ranch and you've proven it ever since. All those things you did, all those people you've helped. You're trying to make a difference, you're trying to atone for your sins. You are definitely _not_ a monster."

"Then why do you insist on leaving me?"

"You're the one that said I could."

"That was because I didn't want you to feel trapped anymore. I already told you all that I am. There was no need for secrecy or imprisonment. You've already suffered enough in your life."

"Then why did you lie to me, Kratos. It wasn't just once, either. Every day since I've known you you've been lying to me about your whole life and when I really thought like I was getting to know you turns out all that's a lie. I was starting to really care about you." Her voice cracked when she said care, she had just realized she cared about him herself. He was hurting her and she couldn't allow that to happen, for her past and present self she couldn't allow it to continue.

"You care about me." His voice held marvel and Anna couldn't help but give him a small smile.

"Yeah I do. But it seems like the feeling isn't mutual."

"Never think that Anna," He put his hand over the one covering his face, "I love you, I've loved you for so long but I thought that if you ever discovered my true identity that…that," His hands were shaking, his whole body shook. "that you would hate me."

Anna's heart tore at that remark and all her assumptions at his deceit disappeared. As she gazed into his desperate eyes she realized that through all of Kratos' stoic masks and masquerades of strength that he did have emotions no matter how hard he tried to hide them and he needed love just as she did. He was a lonely man and she held the power to break him or to heal him. She would keep that promise that she made so long ago.

"I love you," Anna said and Kratos' eyes widened in shock, "And I'm staying too. I love you and I'm staying." Anna laughed. It was like a whole weight lifted from her and she never felt happier, she could leave her past in the past where it belonged. "I love you, Kratos Aurion. I love you, I love you, I love you!"

Anna laughed as she said that and Kratos laughed with her. She felt a joy resonate from him and she relished in it. No longer would she live with that shadow of her self dictating how she thought.

Kratos' arms wrapped around her back and she wrapped both of hers around his neck. "I love you, you know."

Kratos laughed, "Yes, Anna, I know that now."

Anna lent forward for another kiss and Kratos was more then willing to oblige her. Neither of them noticed the sun rising from the earth in the daily ritual of the morning dawn. The sun broke through the night sky and swallowed the crescent moon and tiny specks of light until nothing remained but the pale blue sky of a new day.

_Yep, this is definitely a rough draft. Well, if you liked my rough I'd adore it if someone reviewed. They're good for the fan fiction author's soul. So are PMs…_


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